Seek the City - Archdiocese of Baltimore

Vision

After nearly two years of actively engaging 6,000 people in prayerful listening, visioning and discernment, the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Seek the City to Come initiative offered its final plan for reimaging and realigning the City Church of Baltimore to carry out its Eucharistic Mission. The former 61 parishes merged into 30 worship and ministry sites in Baltimore City and in some of the immediate suburbs.

Archbishop William E. Lori came to the decision after careful review and deliberate consideration of all the information gathered, including the considerable amount of feedback received in the weeks since the proposal of newly formed parishes was released. The Church in Baltimore City holds great promise for a future guided by the Holy Spirit and our own compassion for one another.

CORE MISSION PRIORITIES

GUIDING DOCUMENTS

A LIGHT BRIGHTLY VISIBLE

A LIGHT BRIGHLY VISIBLE 2.0

Walking Together

Building evangelizing parishes requires a team effort. It includes parishioners, community members, Archdiocesean leadership and voices from all areas of our diverse landscape. Every step of the way we are working closely with our partners to walk together on this journey.

Institute for Evangelization

Provides formation for leadership on how to evangelize, how to create healthy teams, how to focus ministries that are impactful and much more. To reach the Parish Renewal Specialist for your parish, click here.

Hispanic Ministries

Helping parishes welcome, recognize, and accompany the Hispanic community while celebrating their unique gifts and talents.

Black Catholic Ministries

Celebrating the vibrancy and valuing the history of the Black Catholic Community while engaging and enriching the parish-life experience.

Facilities and Real Estate Management

Provides assistance for merged campuses and advice on properties and sacred/non-sacred goods.

Fiscal Services

Helps parishes to create mission-based budgets and helps to troubleshoot any fiscal concerns.

Human Resources

Helps parishes to align their staffs for mission in the new parish configurations.

Advancement

Helps parishes to create a culture of stewardship.

Members of these Archdiocese offices are supporting pastors, associate pastors, staff and parish leadership on their journey in continuing to build an alive and evangelizing parish.

DOWNLOAD PRAYER PDF

Prayer for Building Evangelizing Parishes

Compassionate Father,
We praise you, we thank you, and we bless you for the abundance you have given us: for the gifts of Church and community that we have enjoyed, and for the grace to be a pilgrim people following the path of discipleship.

Long have we labored to build your kingdom in Baltimore: caring for the hungry and marginalized, spreading your Word, making disciples, celebrating the sacraments, and ever praising your holy name in word, song, and deed.

As we travel your pilgrim path, seeking the city to come, we invite your Holy Spirit to enter our hearts. Bring comfort and healing to those in need; bring wisdom, understanding and acceptance to those whose hearts are troubled.

Help us embrace the ‘new’ with joy and be grateful for the unseen gifts in one another. May we, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, always grow in the love of your Son, Jesus Christ and become lights brightly visible to the world. Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen